


Metamorphose

by ThisIsLitaE



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Barisi - Freeform, Confessions, Dancing, Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. Has a Crush, Getting Together, Guilt, Light Angst, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Shapeshifting, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Supernatural Elements, Surprises, Sweet/Hot, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:09:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27133657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisIsLitaE/pseuds/ThisIsLitaE
Summary: “I know I drive him crazy. But the way he smiles at me when I’ve done something right, that’s special. Not even you can fake that.”There is a club run by shape shifters who know their client’s true desires. Dominick Carisi goes there undercover for an investigation, only to have his dancer turn into Rafael Barba. With the whole thing recorded, a guilt ridden Dominick is forced to confess everything to the man he cares about.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48
Collections: Barisi Creatures Bingo





	Metamorphose

Dominick Carisi had never been a fan of strip clubs. Even before he’d become a cop and seen the darker side behind the curtain, the concept didn’t appeal to him. A romantic at heart, he preferred to appreciate the naked body in the privacy of his bedroom.

A new SVU case forced him to tolerate a strip club, yet again. He was going undercover to investigate the suspected trafficking of underage girls. Dominick slipped on his eyeglasses camera and mentally prepared his persona, Roger Bressan. Getting into the mindset of a paedophile was one of his least favourite parts of the job.

He stepped into club _Metamorphose_ and gave the password to the bouncer. Immediately he could see that, while the name was original, the venue was like most others. No matter how enticing they tried to make it, there was always a sleazy vibe.

A sexy, barely dressed hostess approached Dominick, introducing herself as Hilary. She was pulling the moves the detective had seen many times before. The look up and down, a smile suggesting she liked what she saw, running a hand down his arm before leading him to the private rooms. Dominick silently counted to ten the moment he stepped behind the sparkling blue curtain.

Right on count, Hilary asked, “Do you have the money? Our service is unique and we request payment upfront.”

Dominick nodded, pulling out the wads of cash provided for the assignment. “I have been assured that I’ll be completely satisfied, even if my interests are a little… below the bar. You catch my drift?”

“We can give you whatever you desire, however controversial,” Hilary answered, taking the money and flipping through it. “That is our guarantee.”

“Good, because I have a certain type of girl in mind -”

Hilary held up a hand to silence him. “No need to say anything, Mr Bressan. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Would you like a drink?”

“Beer will be fine.” Dominick looked towards the mini stage in the dimly lit room. “Better make it two, I might be here a while.”

When Hilary left him alone, the detective began studying the room. It helped those monitoring the video feed to get a look at the venue. He didn’t notice any obvious cameras, usually installed to ensure the dancer’s safety. Dominick couldn’t see a panic button either. He questioned what exactly was being done to keep the workers safe, particularly the vulnerable underage girls.

A few minutes later, another woman entered with Dominick’s beers. She set them down on the table and hopped up onto the stage. With her butt length brown hair and long legs, the woman was pretty but ultimately not what the investigation called for.

“What is this?” Dominick spat out in annoyance, channelling his character. “No offense, sweetie, but you aren’t my type. I prefer something a little younger.”

“Interesting,” the woman replied as she stepped down from the stage. Her eyes bore into Dominick’s and the detective could swear they flashed gold momentarily. She gave a little giggle before continuing. “According to your desires, you actually prefer someone a little older.”

Dominick felt his cheeks burn, wondering how the woman could know. The truth was that he did have an unrevealed crush on his law mentor, the handsome Rafael Barba. Due to their close working relationship, Dominick thought it prudent not to act upon his feelings.

Shooting the dancer an incredulous look, he scoffed. “Listen, I paid good money for this. I know what I want.”

Getting back on stage, the woman shot back, “And I know what you want.”

Suddenly the dancer began to transform. Words caught in Dominick’s throat as he watched it all unfold before him. Womanly curves became a soft midsection. The long hair shrunk to a neat short cut. The pretty face became more masculine. Familiar green eyes looked into Dominick’s. Once the changes were complete, Dominick’s mouth dropped open as he took in the rolled up sleeves and suspenders. However it was possible, Rafael Barba was standing on the stage before him.

“I take it you like what you see,” the man said, the voice even sounding like Barba.

“Yes,” Dominick replied before he could stop himself.

As music began to play, the detective tried to make sense of what was happening. The name _Metamorphose_ made a lot more sense. Somehow the shape shifter had the ability to see Dominick’s crush on Rafael, yet didn’t appear to have made him as a cop. It seemed that there were no legitimate underage girls, merely beings who could transform into one. A case for fraud could be argued, at a stretch, if any ADA dared to take on the supernatural.

His mental summations were interrupted as the Barba impersonator began to dance. At first, Dominick chuckled at the unexpected and ridiculous development. With his business shirt, silver tie, suspenders and pinstriped pants, it looked like Barba had just come from the office. But as the man on stage continued to move his hips and ass in time with the music, Dominick became increasingly captivated.

Barba greeted Dominick with a deliciously intense stare. The detective found himself gulping as the dancer began to remove his tie. One end of the tie was thrown towards him. Against better judgement, Dominick caught it and began getting reeled in. Within seconds, he was off his seat and standing by the stage. If he reached out, Dominick could grab the suspenders and pull the dancer to him.

But as hot as it was, something was amiss. Dominick couldn’t put his finger on it at first. He made his way back to his seat when dancing Barba pulled away teasingly. While the man on stage continued to sway, it dawned on Dominick that the cologne was wrong. Despite having Barba’s looks down pat, the shape shifter didn’t smell like the ADA.

Adjusting his eye glasses, Dominick suddenly remembered the video feed. He gasped aloud upon realising that he had inadvertently revealed his crush to those watching. He could only imagine what Lieutenant Olivia Benson would have to say about watching Rafael Barba, of all people, doing a strip tease.

Dominick wondered how to proceed. Not wanting to risk blowing his cover, he continued to watch. It was as though Barba's green eyes were beckoning Dominick. The dancer was thrusting seductively to the music as he brushed the suspenders from his shoulders. He then started on the first few buttons of his shirt. Dominick bit his lip as the older man’s bronzed body and light dusting of chest hair were being revealed. With one swift movement, the shirt was ripped open to expose Rafael’s soft midsection glistening with sweat.

Dominick turned away, unable to look anymore. He waved a hand vigorously, telling the dancer to stop. As beautiful as Rafael’s body was, the person on stage wasn’t the real Barba. The detective would rather the investigation fail than violate the privacy of someone he respected and possibly even loved.

“Is something wrong?” Barba’s voice asked him. The music had stopped and shape shifter moved to stand by Dominick.

“I can’t watch this anymore, this isn’t real,” Dominick explained, rubbing his forehead to avoid looking at the fake Barba.

“The whole point is to escape reality and indulge in fantasy.” The shape shifter was still speaking in Barba’s voice, indicating that they hadn’t changed form. “You must agree that we accomplish that better than any standard club.”

Dominick shook his head. “You read my mind about Barba, so you know he wouldn’t dance around like that.”

“I don’t know anything about the person. We simply read what form is most appropriate in any situation. One of our kind’s survival mechanisms. Alana found a way to turn that into a business and _Metamorphose_ was born.”

Relieved they hadn’t made him, Dominick stood up to leave. “I’m going to go. Keep your money and have a nice night.”

“Since you’ve paid, you may as well use up the time. I could play this however you want.” The shape shifter grabbed one of Dominick’s untouched beers, taking a sip. “Talk to me.”

Dominick sighed, figuring a proper conversation may get something for the investigation. He turned to find Barba’s form sitting in a chair. “Well, for one thing, Rafael doesn’t drink beer.”

Changing back to the female form from when they first entered, the shape shifter motioned to the other chair. “So, what’s so special about him?”

“He’s no transformer, that’s for sure. He doesn’t have to be,” Dominick commented as he sat back down. He picked up the beer and nursed it in his hands. “He’s amazing. The smartest guy in most rooms, real straight shooter. Always looking his best, even on his days off. Though he could wear a grocery bag and still look gorgeous.”

“That’s really sweet,” the shape shifter said, almost gushing. “Have you told any of this to Rafael?”

Dominick waved his hands to indicate no. “He’d never feel the same way about me. He can be tough but beneath it all is this soft side that wants to help people. That’s why I admire him so much.” The detective sniffed out a laugh, his mind drifting to thoughts of his crush. “I know I drive him crazy. But the way he smiles at me when I’ve done something right, that’s special. Not even you can fake that.”

The shape shifter stared at him intently, patting his hand. “Sounds like you care about him a lot.”

“Yeah, I do.” Dominick realised just how deep his feelings for Rafael ran. “That’s why I have to go.”

*****

The fallout from the undercover assignment was as Dominick expected. Word had spread fast about the strip club run by shape shifters. News had spread even faster about Dominick’s compromising time with fake Rafael. The whole SVU squad room had been giving him looks, with a few daring enough to make comments. Rollins had tried to coax him into talking about it, only to be brushed off.

Dominick managed to take the less friendly remarks on the chin. He’d been picked on half his life and fellow cops always ribbed each other. It was when one of his colleagues, who’d clearly seen the footage, made fun of Rafael dancing that the detective snapped. He’d grabbed the man by the lapels and dared him to keep going.

When he was called into Benson’s office as a result of his outburst, Dominick knew he had to show Rafael the footage. The Lieutenant had originally decided not to, given there was no concrete evidence of an SVU crime. But the guilt was eating away at Dominick. Whether or not it was actually Rafael didn’t matter, the image was out there because of him. The detective preferred that Rafael hear it from him rather than some jerk poking fun.

He stood outside Rafael’s office, removing the tablet from his briefcase. Even when Carmen told him to enter, Dominick took a moment to steel himself. Once again, he rehearsed what he was going to say. There was every possibility that Rafael wouldn’t want to work with him again. The thought alone made his chest hurt.

When Dominick built up the nerve, he stepped into the office and shut the door. He found Rafael sitting at his desk, reading through some case notes. The detective managed a small smile upon seeing the real Rafael Barba.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Carisi?”

Dominick took a seat. He kept the desk as a buffer between the two of them. “I have something to show you. It’s going to be pretty shocking.”

“You mean footage from the strip club run by shape shifters?” Rafael asked, his tone unsurprised. “There have been rumours about it but Liv has told me that it exists. We’ll be keeping an eye on them but she said that no evidence of a crime was captured last night.”

“That’s true,” Dominick replied, taking a deep breath. “But you need to see this footage.”

Rafael leaned over the desk, trying to meet Dominick’s eyes. “Why? Did something happen while you were undercover?”

“You know about the shape shifters, how they can change into whoever you want. It doesn’t matter what I said, they saw who I really liked,” Dominick explained, running a nervous hand through his hair. “Then, of course, the officers watching the surveillance saw it, too.”

Rafael rolled his eyes and groaned. “So, you’re here to gripe about how the whole squad saw who you have a crush on?”

“I’m here because I feel terrible. Because of me there is video of this person ready to strip off. It’s not even them but it doesn’t matter.” Dominick’s voice was breaking as he spoke.

“You did what you had to do for an investigation. From what I hear, you also stopped it from going too far,” Rafael told him with earnestness. “What they’re doing is questionable and unscrupulous. You were trying to stop them. As for whoever was in the footage, no-one else is going to see it. Unless… it wasn’t Rollins, was it?”

“No,” Dominick squeezed the tablet in his hands and finally revealed the truth. “It was you. The shape shifter turned into you.”

Rafael’s eyes widened with disbelief. “Excuse me?”

Dominick set up the video to right before the transformation. He pressed play and handed Rafael the tablet. He stood up and paced across the floor, stealing the occasional glance towards the older man. Dominick could barely hear the music from the footage over the sound of his heart pulsating.

Rafael stopped the clip and sat holding the tablet. Dominick kept waiting for heartbreaking words but the silence continued. Unable to take the tension anymore, the detective began to babble.

“I’m so sorry, Rafael. If I knew this operation was going to affect you, I wouldn’t have done it. I care about you.” Dominick blinked back tears that burned in his eyes. “I wanted you to hear it from me, rather -”

“Shush,” Rafael ordered, holding up a finger. “How many people have seen this?”

“Lieu and the team doing surveillance, maybe seven tops,” Dominick confessed as he let out a shaky breath. “If you feel uncomfortable around me and want me to stay away, I’ll understand.”

“That’s a given, detective,” Rafael spoke through gritted teeth. “Now, get out. We’re done talking.”

Though he’d been expecting such a reaction, Dominick was stunned by how much it hurt. He stood still for a few seconds, hoping Rafael would change his mind. When the ADA refused to look at him, Dominick grabbed his briefcase and started for the door. He was barely passed Carmen’s desk when a single tear escaped. The detective hoped that it wasn’t the last time Rafael would talk to him.  
  


*****

Dominick woke up the next morning on his couch, still wearing the previous day’s clothes. Unable to sleep, he had spent the night studying for his upcoming final exams. Judging by the open textbook on the floor, Dominick deduced he’d passed out while reading about jurisprudence.

Grabbing his phone from the table, Dominick was relieved to find he had plenty of time to get ready for work. He stretched out as his body protested to moving. His first priority was making coffee in order to wake up completely.

As he waited for the coffee pot to brew, Dominick was tempted to call in sick. His eyes fluttered and he dropped his head to the countertop, craving sleep. Barely a minute later, a loud buzz had him upright and alert. He realised that someone was ringing his doorbell. Dominick couldn’t fathom who would be visiting at an early hour and, before coffee, he didn’t want to know.

Just when he thought the unexpected visitor had left, there was a knock at his door. Whoever it was had obviously snuck into the building after someone else. Dominick couldn’t see what the point of a security door was. He let out an annoyed grunt, knowing that he had to answer.

“Carisi, it’s me.”

Dominick paused at hearing Rafael Barba’s voice. Given their previous interaction, he was confused as to what the ADA was doing at his apartment. The detective ran a hand through his hair and made a quick effort to smooth out his clothes. He opened the door and his heart raced at the sight of Rafael.

“What brings you here?”

“You forgot your tablet at my office yesterday,” Rafael advised, handing over the device.

“Oh, thanks.” Dominick reached for it, his fingers unintentionally brushing against Rafael’s.

“I brought coffee, I’m sure it’s much better than whatever you have brewing.” Rafael held up a holder with two take away cups. “Are you going to invite me in?”

Dominick stepped aside to let Rafael through the door. The detective wished that he’d had more time to look presentable. In a gorgeous navy three piece suit, Rafael looked as put together as he always did. It made it hard for Dominick to put his attraction to the other man aside.

They stepped into the living room area, where the table was still covered with books and notes. Dominick apologised for the mess and made a quick effort to sweep it all aside.

“Please. My coffee table always looks something like this,” Rafael commented as he sat down on the couch. He picked up one of the coffees and handed it to Dominick. “One milk, two sugars and a squirt of hazelnut that I thought you might like.”

Dominick sat on the other side of the couch, leaving Rafael space. He took a grateful sip from the cup of coffee. “It means a lot that you’re here. I was afraid you never wanted to see me again.”

“If there is one thing I’ve learned about you, Carisi, it’s that I can’t get rid of you,” Rafael quipped with a smirk. “Plus, I’m not going to risk a conviction because I can’t work with one of the detectives.”

Dominick nodded, trying to relax but still feeling nervous in Rafael’s presence. “Listen, I know you need some space so I’m going to call Kenneth O’Dwyer today and ask about working with him.”

Rafael took a drink of his coffee. “Actually, I asked Liv if you could come in and help me today. That is, if you want to.”

Dominick let out a surprised chuckle. “Yeah, I mean, as long as you’re not mad at me.”

Rafael set down his coffee and sighed. “When I first saw that video I was shocked. I’m sure you can understand why.” He shuffled closer to Dominick. “Then I watched the rest of the footage, where you were talking about me.”

Dominick tried to remember exactly what he had said. He’d been too ashamed to re-watch the footage. Whatever the words, Rafael saw that he cared. Dominick waited for the expected rejection or the promise to remain friends. Instead, he felt Rafael take his free hand. Dominick nearly dropped his coffee in surprise as he turned to meet Rafael’s green eyes.

“I’ve always tried to keep things professional. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t reciprocate some of your feelings,” Rafael admitted, his voice softer than usual. “You’re smart and kind. Annoyingly relentless at times but your heart is always in the right place. Beautiful eyes. Dominick, when you’re in a room, I can’t help but look at you.”

Dominick couldn’t remember when he’d last smiled so much. A gentle squeeze to his hand confirmed that it wasn’t a dream. The subtle scent of Rafael’s cologne let him know it was the real man. The two of them moved in closer until their foreheads were touching. Rafael closed the gap between their lips, giving Dominick a warm kiss. A hum of approval escaped the detective as he began kissing Rafael right back.

As their lips slowly parted, Rafael nuzzled against Dominick’s nose. “We’re going to be late for work if you don’t get changed.”

“But I want to keep kissing you,” Dominick replied, remaining close so that his breath brushed Rafael’s lips. “How about dinner tonight? I’ll make us a reservation somewhere nice.”

“It’s a date.”

Dominick couldn’t resist another sweet kiss before he went to change. If it were up to him, he would have savoured kisses from Rafael all day. He couldn’t stop smiling as he stood up from the couch. Turning back to look at Rafael, the detective was met with a familiar expression. There was the special look that let him know he’d done something right.

**Author's Note:**

> *Barisi Creatures Bingo - Shape Shifter  
> *This idea came to me the moment I saw the SS square  
> *Probably because Carisi pouting at the strip club in episode SPWV is kind of adorable - haha  
> *I love this bingo challenge, it's brought up some creative ideas with which to experiment  
> *Tell me what you think. Comments and Kudos are always appreciated, should you choose to leave them


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